Labour calls for increase in garda numbers to 16,000

THE Labour Party yesterday called for garda numbers to be increased to over 16,000 to facilitate improved community policing.

The party’s justice spokesman Brendan Howlin said an additional 2,000 gardaí would need to be recruited above the Government’s current target of 14,000.

He said this would be needed to give a real commitment to community policing — the party wants a full-time community garda deployed in every neighbourhood of every garda district in the country.